dust baithing

[Hwlchickmama]

my chicks are almost 2 weeks old and my Orps are dust baiting in the wood chips all the other chicks (a Plymouth, gold lace wydote and an EE) stand over them watch them and then peck the wood off... is this normal?? shouldn't they all be bathing?!?!? and should i be giving them something to actually dust in?!?!?! and are they eating the wood b/c they are only on chick feed? im not giving them grit... should i?!?!?! ive read so much on raising chicks and they only tell of behaviors not what to do w/ it!!!!! HELP!!!!

 

[cmom]

Not all chicks will start at the same time. I gave mine sandboxes. These are old pictures but the idea is there.

 

[N&MSchroeder]

Yes, they love it and I love watching them. When they were in the brooder, I put a frisbee filled with coarse sand in there and they went wild. Now they are outside, they have areas where they almost bury themselves in the dirt. It is an important part of their grooming process, and your observers will definitely be joining in on the fun!

 

[Chick Charm]

My current flock refuse the sand that I purchased with a 3 x 3 mixing container. I even sunk it in the ground to make it even with the earth. But oh NO! The girls prefer to use the usual bowls they make in the dirt/dust. At least my Quail like the sand in their enclosure.

 

[deserthens]

My little chicks tried to dust bath with the newspaper I lined the hutch they were in. Same thing some were in chick heaven when they first touched dirt others didn't catch on right away.

 

[Mommy 2 Wee Ones]

My girls were having a field day this evening taking their Dust Bath. It was so much fun to watch, dirt flying everywhere, them rolling on their sides, legs stretched out, then the other coming over & picking out what they found on their sisters. Even the little ones were getting into the act, but they keep to themselves, away from the bigger girls. Some were even dozing off while they lay in their little holes of dirt.lol I do notice they get more into it if I have misted the ground a few minutes before. It has been so hot here lately, I try to mist the ground a few times during the day. After I move to a different area, they go to where I have just wet the ground, then I can mist the area that they were at. It is a little game we play, sometimes I will ask them nicely to move, so i can wet the area they are at. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

 

[3chimama]

Not all chicks will do it at the same rate. You only need to give them grit if you are feeding them other food besides their chick feed.

 

[BoltonChicken]

I made a wooden box about 6" deep and 2' square, and I fill it with dirt containing sand and grit. They love to
dirt bath in it, and I change out the dirt weekly. You can add some DE to it for mite control, but Sevrin dust will
work too. This is in their coop. When in the run, they scratch away the pine shavings and make a plate sized
bowl to bath in. Dirt flys everywhere. Great fun to watch.

 

[5chicks4us]

Only one of my 5 wk old chicks is interested in dust bathing. The others just watch her and when she's covered in pine shavings they pick them off her.

 

[JodyJo]

Mine do it inside the coop in the shavings, they are not free ranging yet, but when they do, this week most likely,
they will have 300 acres to play in if they so choose...dirt, hay, what ever...its great fun to watch!